Torch or lamp



Jime 28, 1938. R. A. CURRIE TORCH" OR LAMP Filed Jan. 9, 1936 m w w m ommm mgw ,4 TTOFNE K9 Patented June 28, 1938 Ruben A. Game, Syracuse, .N, Y., assignor to it. o f .E. 'JDietzJCompany, New York, N.

V ApplicationJanuary 9, 936, Serial' N0. 58, 3 53 r i I V 8 Claims. This invention relates to' improvements in torchesyflares or lamps of that sort, ordinarily used .out of doorsas signals "and for other purposes in which the flame .is exposed or flares out 7 from :the burner unconfined .by the glass chimney'or enclosure commonly ;used in lanterns :and lamps. ,Among'ithe 'uses of such' torches or flares, itma-y-be mentionedthatthey are used as warning or danger signals on construction jobs, and

are. carried by trucksfor: wehicles rfor use' in emergencies as danger signals on? highways.

- ;Since it iskim'port'ant 'to protect theiflames or burnersof such torch-eszin :a way to ?prevent or lessen the danger :ofthvflames :being extin- I i5 guished by winds and rain, the torch burners are ordinarily formed or'ifurnished'with'metal guards providing openings through which "the flames issue or'rflare out, "but :affordmore or less 7 protection against "thei el ements, so that the torches will not be extinguished in use under weather conditions commonlyencountered- It has been found in the use of such torches that :soot or carbon is :formed and accumulates to an objectionable exte'nt in' o'r about the burner H orzflame uard, and in sorne "previous construe tions mascot" assumes what might called mushroom proportions and fills origclogs the flamee'xit" openings or airadmission-openings of Y the burner guards or covers "so-as to seriouslyaf 30 feet-their operation and "reduce ftheirj' lighting eih'ciency. l

1 One "purpose-of my invention is to improve torches of the typeimentioned so aslto increase their efficiency and reliability of operation, par- 5 ticularlywhengused'under"severeweather conditions'. ll- I Y Other objects *of the invention are to provide a. torch of improved construction which/will linsure more perfect combustion andian increasedcandle power 'of thelight whilejnevertheless,the burner and flamerare effectually iprntected from the elements and prevented 'from being ex tin guished by wind, rain orsnbw, even under severe storm conditions; in which the burner laterally confines or supports the est r or "name and 0: he wick so as-to retain its shape'and prevent it mm 'ispreading.out in the flame guard or protector and thereby prevent' or greatly fl'educ'e the obje'c tionable formation or accumulation of soot or carbon; in which the wick tube laterallycdnfines or supports the upper end of the wick and provides lateral openings through which the flame issues (Cl..61-55)- r 7 rounding the upper portion-of the wick tube or burner effectively protects the flame from being extinguished-by strong winds, and a shield or guard above the .burner and windshield protects the wick and burner "from rain; and which has the oth-er featur'es o'iadvan'tage and improvement hereinafter described ahdset forth in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawing: 7

gal is a-s'i'deelevation; partly in sectiomuo'f a torch of a construction embodying my invention; showing the removable protecting cover or cap in place over the burner. 1

' i'g.'2:is asideelevation enlarged;of the burner detached;

Fig.3 is a sectional elevation, enlarged, of the upper portion 'ofathetor'ch. i V F i Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the wick "tube; 1

Fig. 5 is a'sectional' plan view of the burner on line"55;iFig. 2. a 1 V Fig. '61i's an enlarged detail section showing the" leak-"tight joint between the removable protect- 1 in g'f'cover and 'thei'body ofthe torch. v

The body oroil fount Qf'the torch may be of "Preferably; the wick tube 13 is. substantially cylindrical and "extends throug'h and is' remov5 ably secured in the central opening 1-2 of the neck by a collar which has a cylindrical flange [4' that surrounds and is brazed or otherwise fixed on the wick'tube, and a laterally projecting circular flange |"5 provided at'its outer edge with lugs l6 any usual or suitable form and construction. As'

adapted to releas'ably engage'fixed complemen-' tary flocking lugs 11 on the neck of the fount for removably retaining "the wick tube in place. 'Either'the lugs 16hr l1,'=0r both,:may be inclined or cammed so as'to wedge the wick tubeinwardly' v or downwardly Joy-a partial rotation thereof. A's

shown, the locking lugs ii are provided on a screw Zthreaded ring 1 8 which is screwed or other 7 wise stationarily secured on the'neck'l hand has the locking lugs projecting inwardlyiromits inner periphery over a sealing gasket or washer l9 seated in a central depression; in the outer end-or, the neck;- When the lugs 'Hiof the collarare' forced under the locking lug-s [I by a partial rotation'oi the'w-ick tube, the lateral flange of the collar will-be wedged 'o'r romeo-down against the: sealing washer andiorm an oiltig'ht joint;

The upperor outer porti'onof the wick" tube is I formedwith openings 20" in its side walls through as shown, being formed by slotting the upper portion of the wick tube to form spaced upright wall portions or posts 2|, the spaces between which form the flame-exit openings. posts 2| taper upwardly and flare or diverge somewhat outwardly and upwardly from their lower portions, and the posts 2| form supports for a rain shield 22 which is located over the slotted upper end portion of the wick tube. Preferably, this shield is circular and of shallow arched or dome shape and is provided with circumferential slits, and the portions 23 of the shield, between its center and said slits, are punched out or offset upwardly so as to form openings 24 in the shield beneath the outeredges of said offset portions. These openings Mare of substantial vertical height but very narrow radially, so that while they provide passages through the shield through which the flame can burn, and smoke or gases can escape, the oifset portions 23 form roofs or guards for the openings to prevent appreciable entrance of rain therethrough. The rain shield is of sufficient diameter to project out laterally beyond the sides of the wick tube far enough to effectually prevent driving rain from entering the side openings of the Wick tube and wetting the wick or extinguishing the flame. As shown, the upper ends of the posts 2| are bent laterally outward and are secured to the rain shield, as by welding, so as to securely support and hold the rain shield.

Surrounding the wick tube or burner below the rain shield, is an open-topped annular windshield or guard. As shown, this has a cylindrical wall 25 which surrounds and is'spaced from the wick tube, and a bottom wall 26 which extends in wardly from the lower end of the cylindrical wall to the wick tube and has a downwardly'projecting flange which fits around and is welded or otherwise fixed to the wick tube so as to secure the windshield to the wick tube or burner. The space formed between the cylindrical wall 25 of the windshield and the wick tube or burner is open at its upper end so that the flame can issue unimpeded through the uninterrupted space between the upper edge of the windshield and the rain shield. Preferably, the rain shield is of larger diameter than and projects out beyond the cylindrical windshield to better prevent rain from entering through the space between the shields. The windshield is provided with suitable openings for the admission of the necessary air to the burner, it being, as shown, provided with small spaced openings 28 in its side walls and with small perforations 29 in its bottom wall. These perforations 29 are preferably formed with upstanding rims and serve as drain openings for the escape of water from the windshield. While the raised rims form a shallow trap which normally prevents oil, that may seep out of the wick tube into the windshield, from running out on to the body of the torch, they prevent accumulation of oil or water in the windshield to a depth to interfere with the proper operation of the torch. The windshield is preferably disposed with reference to the wick tube or burner sothat the upper edge of the windshield is located at an elevation above the lower ends of the side openings 20 in the wick tube while the air admission openings 23 of the windshield are disposed at an elevation somewhat below the bottom ends of the side openings 20 of the wick tube.

In the use of the torch, the wick is adjusted so that its upper or exposed end will be located As shown, these which the flame issues or burns, these openings,

about at or somewhat above the bottoms of the side openings 20 of the wick tube. Thus, the upper end of the wick will be confined or prevented from unduly spreading laterally or protruding from the wick tube by the posts or portions of the wick tube between the side openings thereof through which the flame issues. This holds the wick to shape and reduces to a great extent formation and accumulation of soot or car- ,bon on or about the burner, which naturally has a bad effect on the flame, cutting off the air supply and clogging the openings through which the flame is supposed to escape. The wick confined in the wick tube with the side openings gives a better oil feed, and the oil burns more freely with a brighter flame generating more gas from the exposed side portions of the wick.

For properly supporting the wick in the wick tube. and permitting the ready adjustment there- -of so as to locate the upper end of the 'wick at a correct height or level with reference to the flame openings 2,the Wick tube is preferably provided at its lower end with an inturned or inbent spiral or helical lip 30. tends part-way around the periphery of the wick tube, with its'ends separated by a plain or unlipped gap 3|, acts as a screwthread pressing into the Wick, so that by turning the wick in one or the other direction in the wick tube, it will be moved upwardly or downwardly in the tube, and the lip will supportthe wick in the position to which it is adjusted. Thus, the wick can be readily adjusted to the desired height simply by turning it in the appropriate direction in the wick tube. 1 V

32 indicates a removable cover or cap adapted to be secured on the torch over the burner and shields with an oil-tight joint which prevents escape of oil from the torch. This cover is particularly desirable for torches or flares carried by trucks or vehicles for emergency use. It prevents leakage and waste of oil which otherwise may oc-' cur from the shaking or movement of the torch due to'the motion of the vehicle or handling, and keeps the torch clean and dry, as well as protecting the burner and shields from injury by strikingan object. The cap shown, see Fig. 6, has an out-turned bottom flange 33 on the under face of which a sealing gasket 34 is secured, as by the inturned edge of the flange. The cap is threaded and adapted to be screwed on the neck of the torch so as to force the gasket tightly against a raised circular bead 35, Fig. 6, on the top of the fount, and surrounding the neck, and thus form an oil-tight joint around the neck and burner.

I claim as my invention:

1. A torch comprising 'a fuel receptacle, a wick tube projecting out from. the receptacle and having lateral flame exit openings in the sides of its outer projecting portion, a wick in the wick tube and entering the fuel receptacle and having its outer end terminating in the wick tube adjacent the inner ends of said exit openings so that the wick flame burns through said openings beyond the wick, a windshield surrounding the outer portion of the wick tube, and a rain shield over This lip, which ex-' the outer end of the wick tube above said flame exit openin s, said wind and rain-shields defining a chamber around said projecting portion of the wick tube and providing a lateral flame exit from said chamber.

2. A torch comprising a fuel receptacle, 2, wick tube projecting out from the receptacle and having lateralflame exit openings in the sides of its outer projecting portion, a wick extending from wick tube between said flame exit openings thereof, a windshield surrounding the outer portion of the wick tube, and a rain shield over the outer end of the wick tube above said flame exit open ings, andspaced from the windshield by a lateral flameexit opening.

3. A torch comprising a fuel receptacle, a wick tube projecting out from the receptacle and having lateral flame exit openings in the sides of its outer projecting portion, a wick in the wick tube and entering the fuel receptacle and having its outer end terminating in the wick tube adjacent the inner ends of said exit openings so thatthe wick flame burns through said openings beyond the wick, a windshield surrounding the portion of the wick tube having said flame exit openings and being open at-its outer end which is located below the outer ends of said wick tube openings, and a rainshield supported by the wick tube over the outer end thereof and spaced from said windshield.

4. A torch comprising a fuel receptacle, a wick 'tube projecting up fromthe receptacle and having lateral flame exit openings in the sides of its upper projecting portion, a wick extending from the fuel receptacle into the wick tube andhaving its outer end terminating in the wick tube adjacent the inner ends of said exit openings so that the wick flame burns through said openings be-' yond the wick, a rain shield supported by the wick tube over the upper end thereof above said flame exit openings, and a windshield surrounding the projecting portion of the wick tubebelow said rain shield, a flame exit opening being provided at the sideofthe windshield below the rain shield.

5. A torch comprising a fuel receptacle, a wick tube projecting up from the receptacle and having an upwardly flaring upper portion having lateral flame exit openings in the sides thereof,

a wick extending from the fuel receptacle into the wick tube and having its outer end terminating in the wick tubeadjacent the inner ends of I said exit openings so that the wick flame burns through said openings beyond the wick, a rain shield supported by the upper end of the wick tube over the same above said flame exit open ings, and a windshield surrounding the wick tube below and separated from said rain shield by a space through which the flame issues.

6. A torch comprising a fuel receptacle, a wick tube projecting up from the receptacle and having lateral flame exit openings in the sides of its upper projecting portion, a wick extending from the fuel receptacle-into the wick tube, a rain shield supported by the upper end of the wick tube over the same above said flame exit omnings, and a windshield supported by and surrounding the wick tube and having an open upper end spaced downwardly from said rain shield.

7. A torch comprising afuel receptacle, a wick tube projecting out from the receptacle and having an outwardly flaring outer projecting porj tion provided with lateral flame exit openings in its sides, a wick extending from the fuel receptacle into the wick tube and terminating at its outer end in the wick tube adjacent the inner ends of said flame exit openings whereby the wick flame burns through said exit openings beyond the wick and the outer end of the wick is confined laterally by the portions of the wick tube between said flame exit openings, a windshield surrounding the outer portion of the wick tube, and a rain shield over the outer end of the wick tube above said flame, exit openings and above said windshield.

8. A torch comprising a fuel receptacle having an externally screw-threaded neck, a wick tube and burner removably secured on said neck by a connection located within the area defined by said external screw thread of the neck and comprising a packing for sealing the joint between the burnerand the receptacle, a cap enclosing said burner in the operative position thereof and screwed on said neck, and a gasket-sealed liquid tight joint formed between said cap and the re- I ceptacle surrounding the burner, wick tube and said burner connection.

ROBERT A, CURRIE. 

